Switch-operating means.



J. H. MILLSPAUGH.

Patented Apr. '18, 1916.

Suva/MIX? J. HM ILLSPA usu 'K'HB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAIPH 110., WASHINGTON,D- Cq JAMES H. MILLSPAUGH, OF GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA.

SWITCH-OPERATING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,161.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. MILLSPAUGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Guthrie, in the county of Logan andState of Oklahoma, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Means,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in switch operating meansand has re lation more particularly to a construction whereby the devicemay be operated from the rolling stock; and it is an object of myinvention to provide novel and improved means of this general characterwherein the same comprises a minimum of parts and whereby the switch isadjusted into either an open or closed position with convenience andfacility.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved switchoperating means whereb certain important advantages are attaine and thedevice is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenientand advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theappended claims.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure l is a view in top plan illustrating a switchoperating means constructed in ac cordance with an embodiment of myinvention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly insection, illustrating the rotatably supported plate herein includedtogether with its concomitant parts; Fig. 3 is a sectional view takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrow; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View, partly in elevation and partly insection, illustrating the mechanism carried by the rolling stock foroperating my improved'switch operating means; and Fig. 5 is afragmentary view in top plan illustrating a modified means for operatingthe rock plate.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, A denotes a track-way havingextending therefrom the branch B, the branch B be,

it may come in contact.

ing provided with the pivoted tongues C coacting with the rails of thetrack-way A 1n a conventional manner. Operatively engaged with thetongues C are the inwardly directed arms 1, each of which being hereindisclosed as comprising two sections capable of longitudinal adjustment,as indicated at 2, and with the inner extremities of said armsoperatively engaged with the plate 3. The plate 3 is rotatably supportedat'its axial center through the medium of the pivot pin 4 by the plate 5suitably secured to the ties of the track-way A. The plate 3 may be ofany configuration desired but as herein dis closed issubstantiallyrectangular in form with its longitudinal diameter disposedobliquely across the track-way A and the opposite extremities of saidplate are provided with the transversely disposed slots 6 of predetermined length, each of said slots being provided with the inwardlydiverging extensions 7.

Positioned within each of the slots 6 is a roller 7 carried by the innerextremity of a plunger 8 disposed longitudinally of the track-way A andhaving its opposite extremity operatively engaged with the lever 9disposed transversely of ,the track-way and pivotally supported adjacentone of the rails thereof so as to be engaged by an operating member Ndepending from the rolling stock. As herein disclosed, the operatingmember comprises a bar 10 mounted for vertical movement and normallymaintained at the limit of its upward movement by the eXpansible member11. One face of the bar 10 is provided with the rack 12 with which is inmesh the segmental rack 14 adapted to be rotated by the crank 15 inorder to bring the lower extremity of the bar 10 in a position to engagethe lever 9. The engaging extremity 16 of the bar is pivotally engagedwith the bar proper and is normally maintained in longitudinal alinementwith the bar under the influence of the spring 17.

By this it will be readily perceived that when the lever 9 has beensufliciently moved to properly rock the plate 3, the engaging extremity16 will readily pass the lever or ride over any other obstruction withwhich As the plunger 8 is moved inwardly, it will contact with an inneredge of an extension and thus rock the plate 3, in a manner which isbelievedto be 'selfpvident, and will automatically return to engagementwith an outer edge/of an extension through the medium of the retractilemembers 18 positioned at opposite sides of the plunger and havingadjacent extremities suitably secured thereto with the oppositeextremities anchored to. a tie'of the track structure A or otherstationary supports.

In order that proper signal may be given as to the condition of theswitch-,il -mountto is substantially identical .to that. describedrelative to the bar 10 and its concomitant parts, except that suchbar ishorizontally disposed. 1 p

From the foregoing description, all} j is thought to be obvious thatswitch operating means constructed in accordance, with my invention 1sof. an extremely simple and comparatlvely inexpensive nature and isparticularly well adapted foruse by reason of theconvenience andfacility with which it maybe assembled, and it will alsolbe obvious thatmy invention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutmaterial departure from theprinciples and spirit thereof and for thisreason I do not I wish to be understood as limiting myselftothe-precise. arrangement and-formation of theseveral parts herein: shownin carrying out myinvention inpractice,

The plate 3 is provided with an arcuate slot 24'through which extends apin 25 or thelike projecting upwardly-fromwthe plate 5 and.- by thisarrangement it will-be readily. perceived that the axial movement of the-plate3t in'either, direction.- is effectively controlled. v I alsofindit of advantage to .have

coacting with theplate 3 the retractile mem-= ber 26- which serves as arebound member,

' said- .springbeing herein disclosed as having oneextremity suitablyanchored to a tie,

I while the opposite extremity .is anchoredto the; plate 3 at a pointbeyond the axial center. thereof, and .is adapted to be; thrown onopposite sides of the dead center to'resilientlyhold the plate 3, in itsend positions. I also-find it of advantage; to provide theplate3inwardly of each of the'slots 6 and adjacent the extremitiesthereof with the upstanding lugs 27 which serve to-assure the 'roller-7of the plunger 8 moving within the.=proper extension 27. It is to beparticularly notedin Fig. 2 that the lugs 2,7,are ta 'pered one towardthe other so that when the Qiungersare in normal position the inner endsthereof arepositioned adj acen't'; the; ab

7 thereof.

a Inf combination tongue of .a switch, a plate; mounted, forrotarymovement and provided: with a slot,

i ction-11 ruptshoulders of the lugs whereby it will be perceived thatthe proper travel of the rollers 7 is assured. When the plate 3has beenturned through-"the medium of one of the plungers, the second plungerwill be carried by the adjacent lug a slight distance when it will slideby said lug anda s wing 18 will carry it over the secondlugfi'? andposition dtfibtlYOllCl the abrupt shoulder Iclaim: 1. In co1nbination..with; the ;;movable tary movement and provided with aslot, an armpivotally engaged with the tongue and tongueiof a switch, a platemounted for rothe plate, a'plu-nger mounted for substantial endwisemovement..-and having" one ;extremity extending within the slotQof theplate, automatic means for imparting movementuto the plunger in adirection away from the plate, and-'means coacting. with theiplunger forimparting movement thereto in a direction toward the'plate whereby saidplateis rotated. v a

with the 'movablfe an arm pivotally engaged with the tongue and theplate, a plunger mounted for sub stantial endwise movement and havingone late automaticmeans for im artin 1move- P g L --extremity extendingwithin the slot of the ment; to-atheplunger in a direction 7 away from.the plate, andmeans .coacting with the plungerfor imparting- .movementrthGl'BtO in adirection toward; the plate whereby said plate is rotated,theslot of the ;]o1a.t$ being provided with inwardly disposeddiVer-gingextensions.

3. Ink combinationjwith; the; movable tongue ofa switch, a plate mountedfor rotarymovement.and;provided with a, slot, an arm pivotallyengageclwitha-the, tongue and the -plate,-,a plunger mountedfor-substantial endwise movement and havingone extremity-extending;within the slotaof the plate, automatic means; for imparting;fmoyement to the plunger ina direction; away from the plate,

and mechanism .carried; by the rolling stock coacti-ng with the plunger:for imparting movement thereto in a direction toward the plate; whereby;saidplate :is rotated in one 4:. In :'.combination with the movabletongue of a switch, a plate mountedfor; r'otaryj movement;v and providedwith a slot, .anarm pivotally engaged with thegtongufe and-the{plate,,aplunger mounted for sub stantial endwise movement and having, one

extremityextending; Within theaslot of. the plate, automatic IIIQiLIISfO]; ;imparting ,movement to the plunger in a direction, away,

from the" plate, ,means coactingwith the plunger for imparting movementthereto-v in a direction toward the platt} WhQ'Ieby said plate isrotated, and means carried by the plate coacting with the plunger forcontrolling the lateral movement of the plunger.

5. In combination with the movable tongue of a switch, a plate mountedfor rotary movement and provided with a slot, an arm pivotally engagedwith the tongue and the plate, a plunger mounted for substantial endwisemovement and having one extremity extending within the slot of theplate, automatic means for imparting movement to the plunger in adirection away from the plate, means coacting with the plunger forimparting movement thereto in a direction toward the plate whereby saidplate is rotated, and means coacting with the plat for limiting therotary movement thereof.

6. In combination with the movable tongue of a switch, a plate mountedfor rotary movement and provided with a slot, said slot being providedwith inwardly diverging extensions, a plunger mounted for substantialendwise movement and having one extremity extending within the slot ofthe plate, lugs projecting from the plate inwardly of the slot andadjacent the extensions, each of said lugs serving as a guide to assuremovement of the plunger within the adjacent extension of the slot,automatic copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the means for imparting movement to the plunger in adirection away from the plate, and means coacting with the plunger forimparting movement thereto in a direction toward the plate.

7. In combination with the movable tongue of a switch, a plate mountedfor rotary movement and provided with a slot, said slot being providedwith inwardly diverging extensions, a plunger mounted for substantialendwise movement and having one extremity extending within the slot ofthe plate, lugs projecting from the plate inwardly of the slot andadjacent the extensions, each of said lugs serving as a guide to assuremovement of the plunger within the adjacent extension of the slot,automatic means for imparting movement to the plunger in a directionaway from the plate, means coacting with the plunger for impartingmovement thereto in a direction toward the plate, and a retractilemember coacting with the plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JAMES H. MILLSPAUGH.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. REMY, Mrs. RUTH EIERMAN.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0."

